Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Honda HR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 12 MPH, the vehicle experienced a brake failure, resulting in a frontal collision with a utility vehicle. The airbag deployed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a private salvage auto auction yard. The contact stated that the vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. There was no property damage. A police report was filed. The contact was transported by ambulance to the ER, and the contact was moved to a level 1 trauma unit, where she was treated for multiple injuries, including hematomas on the abdomen, fractured ribs, and several body bruises and lacerations. The failure mileage was approximately 64,612.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while stopped, the ABS, Brake, traction control, and several other warning lights flashed on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was safe to drive to the residence, but not for regular daily use. Once the contact was at the residence, the contact repeatedly restarted the vehicle after the warning lights turned off; however, the warning light returned after additional restarts. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the mechanic discovered DTC: 3211, which was related to the ABS solenoid valve malfunction. The contact was informed that the failure did not need immediate service, and the vehicle could be driven for short-range trips; the vehicle was reset, and the warning lights were cleared. …
I was driving on a Nevada highway and getting into an off ramp with mild traffic. I attempted to break so I could stop behind another driver and realized my breaks weren't working. I then put my entire body weight on the breaks and they failed to stop or slow down my vehicle. I ended up colliding into the vehicle ahead at 50 mph. Even with an impact of 50mph not a single airbag went off. I sustained head injuries. This could have been lethal. Myself and my passenger could have died. The breaks failed resulting in a collision and the air bags did NOT go off. My vehicle was totaled on the spot and i spent over 7 hours in the hospital due to my vehicles failing to keep me safe. I did reasrch and almost every other 2016 Honda HRV has a recall for the breaks and somehow mine did not when the breaks failure could have killed me.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed several times, but the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he veered to the side of the road and rubbed the tires of the vehicle against the curb and the vehicle slowed down. The contact pulled into a parking lot and switched gears to park and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to his insurance company for assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.
Driving slowly to garage, sudden unintended acceleration and brakes stopped working. My car crashed into the rear wall of the garage. The front end of my car was damaged. The wall of my garage was damaged as well. I went to the doctor due to pain in my chest and arms.
The parking brake engages on and off when the car is turned off. There are 3 lights flashing -check engine light -the word "park" - the parking brake light I have had the code read and it says it is the evap canister purge valve which has already been replaced, the light went off temporarily and it's back on again. The transmission is noisy when accelerating. The purge valve keeps going bad for no apparent reason and the parking brake randomly engaging and disengaging when the car is turned off leads me to believe there is an issue overall with the build of the car. I am worried the emergency brake will engage when driving.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving up an incline an abnormal scraping sound was coming from the vehicle while depressing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted about the issue and the contact was informed of an unknown recall on the transmission. The VIN tool showed no recalls on her vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The problem started after sitting and talking on a phone with car running while waiting for groceries. About a week later, I started having on and off electrical system issues. and all the lights came on the dashboard with ABS as the main one. If I locked my trunk over and over it would go away. During this time, I got locked in my car and out of my car. The key would not work properly. The trunk would not lock properly. The brakes would get stuck and I could not release them. The car would not move. This happened on and off for about two weeks. I took it to my mechanic. He ran the diagnostic test and nothing came back. He charged the battery and the problem went away for a couple of weeks. The problem started again and was especially frightening when I could not get out of my car. I took it to the dealer. …
I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding a serious safety issue affecting Honda vehicles - specifically the widespread failure of the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) module - and Honda's failure to issue a recall despite extensive evidence and customer reports. A recent YouTube video titled "Why Honda Hasn't Recalled This Dangerous Problem" [redacted] ) highlights that many Honda owners are experiencing identical issues: ABS warning lights appearing on the dashboard, inconsistent braking behavior, and in some cases, total brake failure. This is a major safety hazard, especially in emergency braking scenarios or on wet or slippery roads. I personally experienced this issue with my own Honda vehicle. …
The ABS in our 2016 Honda HR-v does not seem to work at all. When attempting a hard stop, we have had to pump the brakes ourselves since the system does not do that automatically. Recently, I was traveling at 35 MPH on a rain-slick street (after hours of rain), hit the brakes to avoid a stopped vehicle and could not stop. I pumped the brakes hard, only slowed a bit, swerved and still bumped into the car ahead of me.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Acura MDX, 2017-2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey, and 2016 Honda HR-V vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating, causing gas pockets to form, reducing brake performance.
Remedy: Owners will be notified, and Honda or Acura dealers will bleed the brakes, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Brake complaints in other HR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2016 Honda HR-V?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 2016 Honda HR-V, 10% of the model year's 243 complaints. The component named most often is power assist › electric › solenoid/actuator (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Honda HR-V brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-777 (caliper, Nov 1, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2016 Honda HR-V brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.